ABA Journal: Modern Law Library

By Legal Talk Network

What's ABA Journal: Modern Law Library about?

Listen to the ABA Journal Podcast for analysis and discussion of the latest legal issues and trends the first Monday of each month. Also hear discussions with authors for The Modern Law Library books podcast series.

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ABA Journal: Modern Law Library episodes:

04.10.2024
Users keepers: Pirates, zombies and adverse possession
“Trespassing plus time equals adverse possession,” Paul Golden writes in his new book, Litigating Adverse Possession Cases: Pirates v. Zombies. When someone has occupied or used a piece of property as though they own it for long enough, a court could...
03.20.2024
James Patterson dishes on his new legal thriller, ‘The #1 Lawyer’
James Patterson has written bestsellers in many genres. But as he tells the ABA Journal's Lee Rawles in this episode of The Modern Law Library, he has always been fascinated by legal thrillers, courtroom dramas and crime novels. He even...
03.06.2024
'When Rape Goes Viral' looks at why cases like Steubenville happen
Three high-profile cases of sexual assault in 2012 followed a basic pattern: A teenage girl was sexually assaulted at a house party by one or more teenage boys while she was incapacitated by alcohol. The attacks were recorded and the...
02.28.2024
NY law prof is calling on ‘Lawyer Nation’ to reform
Ray Brescia, a law professor at Albany Law School, has taken a hard look at the country’s legal system in his new book, Lawyer Nation: The Past, Present and Future of the American Legal Profession. In this episode of The Modern Law...
02.14.2024
'Police & the Empire City' explores race and the origins of the NYPD
In Police & the Empire City: Race & the Origins of Modern Policing, Matthew Guariglia looks at the New York City police from their founding in 1845 through the 1930s as “police transitioned from a more informal collection of pugilists clad...
01.31.2024
Yale Law's Owen Fiss talks about threats to democracy and 'Why We Vote'
After 50 years as a professor at Yale Law School, Owen Fiss says his students are still idealistic and passionate about the rights won in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. As a young...
01.10.2024
Access to justice can be achieved, says ‘Law Democratized’ author–but not without change
In 2013, the ABA Journal named Renee Knake Jefferson a Legal Rebel for her work co-founding the Michigan State University’s ReInvent Law Laboratory and rethinking how legal services could be delivered to consumers. In 2024, she’s taking a look back at more...
12.20.2023
How to plan your post-law life
There are lawyers who love the practice of law so much, they’ll only leave it feet first, in a box. But for those who’d prefer to exit the bar before closing time, Kevin McGoff has advice on planning that next...
12.06.2023
Our favorite pop culture picks in 2023
It's the time of year when The Modern Law Library hosts like to look back on the media we've enjoyed, our annual pop culture picks episode. This year, host Lee Rawles is joined by three ABA Journal reporters: Julianne Hill,...
11.22.2023
How is the true crime genre impacting the way people think about innocence?
Human beings have told stories about violence and victims from our earliest records. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, newspapers and magazines flourished on crime coverage. Hollywood has churned out crime movies and TV shows, based both in fiction and...
11.08.2023
Law grad turns culinary passion into TikTok fame and a brand new cookbook
Like many others, Jon Kung figured law school would be a safe harbor to weather the storms of the Great Recession. But after emerging from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 2011, Kung changed course.Kung, who is...
10.25.2023
How reckoning with trauma can help you, your clients and the legal profession
“You can’t think yourself out of trauma,” the introduction to Trauma-Informed Law: A Primer for Lawyer Resilience and Healing warns. “An analytical response is insufficient. As lawyers and law students, we have been trained to learn only with our minds. But there...
10.11.2023
Transform your negotiations with a win-win-win mindset, says author
Moving from a “win-lose” mentality to a “win-win” mentality has been a central focus of the field of negotiation and conflict resolution since the 1980s, says Sarah Federman. Working to walk away with a deal that pleases both sides was...
09.27.2023
Tales of 3 generations of Black women intertwine to form 'Memphis'
Admittedly, Tara M. Stringfellow became an attorney simply because her first book of poetry didn’t sell and she needed an income. But after a few years at Crown Castle in Chicago doing family and real estate law, she left, heading...
09.06.2023
Complex litigation judge has 50 ideas to simplify the courts
As both an attorney and judge, Thomas Moukawsher has spent the majority of his career dealing in complex litigation. And the Connecticut Superior Court judge would like to make the legal system—well, less complex. In this episode of the Modern Law...
08.23.2023
Summer reading and back-to-law-school tips
It’s time for the Modern Law Library’s summer recommendations episode, in which host Lee Rawles shares her pop culture picks with you, plus a re-airing of one of our older episodes with current relevance. This year, that episode is our 2018 interview...
08.09.2023
Trial lawyer’s tales include wins, losses and international intrigue
The year was 1961. Freshly minted attorney James J. Brosnahan had been on the job as a federal prosecutor in Phoenix for two days when he was handed his first trial: a capital murder case. Twelve days into the job,...
07.26.2023
Is family court too flawed to be fixed?
Jane M. Spinak did not set out to write a book arguing for the abolition of family court. She thought she would be making the case for a set of sensible reforms. But the more she dug into the history...
07.12.2023
Didn't get it in writing? There may still be a way, says author of 'Litigating Constructive Trusts'
“If you don’t have it in writing, you’re out of luck.” That’s the common wisdom you’ll hear from TV judges, helpful uncles, well-meaning friends and even lawyers in your life. But while getting an agreement in writing is a best...
06.21.2023
'My Mom, the Lawyer' explores women's work and personal lives through the eyes of their children
While directed at young children, a lawyer's book also speaks to lawyers who are moms, letting them know that being both can be a busy but fulfilling life. As Michelle Browning Coughlin, of counsel at ND Galli Law in Louisville, Kentucky,...
06.07.2023
SCOTUS faces ‘a catastrophic loss of institutional legitimacy,’ warns author
In his new book, The Supermajority: How the Supreme Court Divided America, Michael Waldman identifies three times the U.S. Supreme Court caused a public backlash against itself—and warns the court may be well along the path to a fourth massive public...
05.17.2023
‘The Shadow Docket’ shines light on an increasingly uncommunicative Supreme Court
In The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic, University of Texas law professor Stephen Vladeck argues the U.S. Supreme Court is expanding its powers at the expense of the rule of...
05.10.2023
End of the Cold War launched new efforts to build the rule of law
As chunks of the Berlin Wall were being torn down by jubilant crowds on November 9, 1989, James Silkenat was serving his term as chair of the ABA International Law Section. But he is the first to admit he did...
04.19.2023
Author and lawyer explores English family's ties to Nazi Germany in 'The Mitford Affair'
Heather Terrell, who writes under the pen name Marie Benedict, has written about novelist Agatha Christie in The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, and in Lady Clementine, she looked back on the life of Winston Churchill’s wife, Clementine Churchill. Now, in her historical...
04.05.2023
‘Never Far from Home' brings readers from NYC projects to 90s hip-hop scene to Microsoft offices
Bruce Jackson grew up shuttling between Brooklyn and Manhattan public housing projects. His journey led him to Hofstra University, then Georgetown Law. He ditched a white-shoe firm job to launch a career in entertainment law, and represented some of the...
03.29.2023
Why NYT v. Sullivan mattered in 1964 and is under attack today
The 1964 decision in New York Times v. Sullivan protected the civil rights movement, established the “actual malice” standard, and is the basis for modern American libel law. But in recent years, criticism of the case has grown among conservatives, with U.S....
03.08.2023
In ‘Her Honor,’ trailblazing women judges take center stage
When Lauren Stiller Rikleen was approached in 2020 by the ABA Judicial Division to help compile autobiographical stories from women judges in America, a powerful motivating factor for her was to capture stories of the barriers the judges overcame in their own...
02.22.2023
In ‘Myth America,’ historians challenge misinformation about our past
Some American patriotic myths are harmless; George Washington may have chopped down a cherry tree at some point in his life, but the popular story told to children where young George fesses up to the deed by saying “I cannot...
02.08.2023
Bestselling author relished collaboration for 'Heat' follow-up
When former lawyer and bestselling author Meg Gardiner teamed up with Michael Mann for the follow-up novel to his 1995 crime thriller movie Heat, working with the legendary filmmaker was an eye-opener. “All the legends about his proclivities for research are...
01.25.2023
From Amanda Knox to Kyle Rittenhouse, lawyer discusses justice and due process in the digital age
In Anne Bremner’s work as a Seattle-based trial attorney, she saw a disturbing pattern—that high-profile cases often trending on Twitter challenge the concept “innocent until proven guilty,” as cases are tried online, as well as in courtroom proceedings. In this...
01.04.2023
Lawyer digs into big data for new legal thriller 'Code 6'
Lawyer and author James Grippando made a name for himself writing legal thrillers, including the bestselling series of novels featuring Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck. He wanted to try something a little different for his new novel, Code 6, and...
12.21.2022
This lawyer tackled lifelong anxiety to free herself from 'The Box'
Since childhood, Wendy Tamis Robbins experienced debilitating anxiety and panic attacks. Her perfectionism pushed her to achieve in sports and academics, and her high level of achievement masked her mental anguish from public view. While she found success in her...
12.08.2022
Our favorite pop culture picks in 2022
In our annual Year in Review episode, Lee Rawles speaks to her ABA Journal colleagues Blair Chavis, Julianne Hill and Stephanie Francis Ward to find out how they spent their downtime in 2022. We cover the usual lineup of our favorite...
11.30.2022
Can change really come from within the system? These 13 prosecutors think so
Miriam Aroni Krinsky worked as a prosecutor in Los Angeles County in the 1980s and 1990s as the War on Drugs was waged. Mandatory minimum sentences and tough-on-crime laws sent prison populations soaring and ripped apart families and communities. Krinsky...
11.16.2022
'By Hands Now Known' shines light on cold cases of lynchings and racial violence
In the summer of 2020, when the murder of George Floyd was igniting protests in Minneapolis and around the country, it occurred to Margaret A. Burnham that “George Floyd” was a common-sounding name. Burnham is the founder and director of...
10.26.2022
How do you calculate damages in injury trials?
For any plaintiff who's been injured or any young attorney just starting out in the field of tort law, it can be daunting to calculate what monetary damages–and nonmonetary damages like pain and suffering–they should be asking for if they...
10.12.2022
Author and lawyer Scott Turow made generational leap for new legal thriller
Author and lawyer Scott Turow’s latest legal thriller Suspect reintroduces readers to Clarice “Pinky” Granum, the granddaughter of attorney Sandy Stern—a character from the author's novels The Last Trial and his blockbuster debut Presumed Innocent.
09.21.2022
Nina Totenberg's early life, NPR legacy and friendship with the Notorious RBG
In this special two-part episode of the Modern Law Library, the ABA Journal's Lee Rawles speaks with Lisa Napoli, author of Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie: The Extraordinary Story of the Founding Mothers of NPR, and we hear from Nina Totenberg...
09.07.2022
9th Circuit judge shines light on Justice William O. Douglas’ environmental campaigns
Justice William O. Douglas could be known for his fiery opinions, turbulent personal life and longtime presidential ambitions. But Judge M. Margaret McKeown is shining a light on his groundbreaking environmental advocacy in Citizen Justice: The Environmental Legacy of William O....
08.24.2022
Sick of meetings that go off the rails? Robert’s Rules of Order can help
It’s no secret that lawyers are asked to attend or preside over many kinds and types of meetings. From attending a professional association’s annual meeting with hundreds of fellow attorneys (as the ABA just held in August) to being asked...
08.10.2022
Summer Pop Culture Picks and What Else We Lost When Roe was Overturned
It’s time for the Modern Law Library’s summer recommendations episode, where host Lee Rawles shares her pop culture picks with you, plus a re-airing of one of our older episodes that has become relevant again. In this case, it’s a...
07.27.2022
After collaborating with bestselling author, judge discusses new solo book
After several collaborations with bestselling author James Patterson, Judge David Ellis of Illinois decided to go it alone for his latest book, Look Closer. In this episode, the ABA Journal's Matt Reynolds talks to Ellis about his Patterson partnership, his own...
07.13.2022
The modern US Border Patrol is a national police force with dangerous capabilities, author warns
In Nobody is Protected: How the Border Patrol Became the Most Dangerous Police Force in the United States, geographer Reece Jones argues that Supreme Court precedent, a growing workforce and mission creep have made the U.S. Border Patrol a national police...
06.29.2022
Authors of '50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers' share some top tips
Even during times less tumultuous than the one we are in now, lawyers as a profession report high levels of stress. Finding the way to keep motivated and healthy on an individual level while fighting systemic problems is no easy...
06.08.2022
Do you have what it takes to break into esports?
Are you a lawyer who plays League of Legends late at night? A World of Warcraft warrior who engages in courtroom combat during your daytime gig? And have you ever wished you could break into esports on a professional level–whether...
05.25.2022
Work for Canadian residential school survivors informs lawyer's debut novel
As a lawyer, Michelle Good spent years investigating the trauma that Canada’s residential school system inflicted on Indigenous people. As an author, it took her nine years to write her first novel about the lives of five teenagers who leave...
05.11.2022
Wiretapping's origins might surprise you
On the cover of Brian Hochman's book The Listeners: A History of Wiretapping in the United States is a martini cocktail, complete with skewered olive. Someone attempting to judge a book by its cover may think this is a riff on James...
04.20.2022
How–and why–Kazakhstan gave up its Soviet-era nuclear weapons
During its time as a Soviet republic within the USSR, Kazakhstan was the site of massive nuclear tests, both above and below ground. The cost to the environment and health of the Kazakh people and livestock was likewise massive, though...
04.06.2022
Ex-Tesla attorney leveraged her contract expertise into a book and thriving LinkedIn community
In August 2020, contract attorney Laura Frederick accepted a challenge: Post to LinkedIn once a day, every day, for a month. Frederick thought she might be able to keep up a string of several days in a row. Instead, her...
03.30.2022
'No Equal Justice' shares George Crockett Jr.'s civil rights legacy
Detroit has been the site of many civil rights and labor rights battles, and many notable Black attorneys have called the city home. The first Black president of the ABA, Dennis Archer, came from the Detroit legal community, as does...

What's ABA Journal: Modern Law Library about?

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ABA Journal: Modern Law Library episodes:

Users keepers: Pirates, zombies and adverse possession

James Patterson dishes on his new legal thriller, ‘The #1 Lawyer’

'When Rape Goes Viral' looks at why cases like Steubenville happen

NY law prof is calling on ‘Lawyer Nation’ to reform

'Police & the Empire City' explores race and the origins of the NYPD

Yale Law's Owen Fiss talks about threats to democracy and 'Why We Vote'

Access to justice can be achieved, says ‘Law Democratized’ author–but not without change

How to plan your post-law life

Our favorite pop culture picks in 2023

How is the true crime genre impacting the way people think about innocence?

Law grad turns culinary passion into TikTok fame and a brand new cookbook

How reckoning with trauma can help you, your clients and the legal profession

Transform your negotiations with a win-win-win mindset, says author

Tales of 3 generations of Black women intertwine to form 'Memphis'

Complex litigation judge has 50 ideas to simplify the courts

Summer reading and back-to-law-school tips

Trial lawyer’s tales include wins, losses and international intrigue

Is family court too flawed to be fixed?

Didn't get it in writing? There may still be a way, says author of 'Litigating Constructive Trusts'

'My Mom, the Lawyer' explores women's work and personal lives through the eyes of their children

SCOTUS faces ‘a catastrophic loss of institutional legitimacy,’ warns author

‘The Shadow Docket’ shines light on an increasingly uncommunicative Supreme Court

End of the Cold War launched new efforts to build the rule of law

Author and lawyer explores English family's ties to Nazi Germany in 'The Mitford Affair'

‘Never Far from Home' brings readers from NYC projects to 90s hip-hop scene to Microsoft offices

Why NYT v. Sullivan mattered in 1964 and is under attack today

In ‘Her Honor,’ trailblazing women judges take center stage

In ‘Myth America,’ historians challenge misinformation about our past

Bestselling author relished collaboration for 'Heat' follow-up

From Amanda Knox to Kyle Rittenhouse, lawyer discusses justice and due process in the digital age

Lawyer digs into big data for new legal thriller 'Code 6'

This lawyer tackled lifelong anxiety to free herself from 'The Box'

Our favorite pop culture picks in 2022

Can change really come from within the system? These 13 prosecutors think so

'By Hands Now Known' shines light on cold cases of lynchings and racial violence

How do you calculate damages in injury trials?

Author and lawyer Scott Turow made generational leap for new legal thriller

Nina Totenberg's early life, NPR legacy and friendship with the Notorious RBG

9th Circuit judge shines light on Justice William O. Douglas’ environmental campaigns

Sick of meetings that go off the rails? Robert’s Rules of Order can help

Summer Pop Culture Picks and What Else We Lost When Roe was Overturned

After collaborating with bestselling author, judge discusses new solo book

The modern US Border Patrol is a national police force with dangerous capabilities, author warns

Authors of '50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers' share some top tips

Do you have what it takes to break into esports?

Work for Canadian residential school survivors informs lawyer's debut novel

Wiretapping's origins might surprise you

How–and why–Kazakhstan gave up its Soviet-era nuclear weapons

Ex-Tesla attorney leveraged her contract expertise into a book and thriving LinkedIn community

'No Equal Justice' shares George Crockett Jr.'s civil rights legacy